Survey ranks IGNOU as best distance learning institution for 2011

11 August, 2011

A nationwide perception survey by Careers 360 magazine and Yahoo! India on Distance Learning has ranked Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) as the number 1 Distance Learning institution for the year 2011.

IGNOU, the leviathan with 500 plus programmes and 35 lakh plus students retains the pole position in India’s first-ever objective rating of Distance Learning Institutes.

Yashwantrao C. Maharashtra Open University in Nasik follows the second rank followed by IMT Distance and Open Learning Institute in Ghaziabad at the third place. Delhi University is ranked 16th place by the survey.

IGNOU also ranks first in the resources and reach of the university.

The University caters to ‘Gyanvani’ an educational FM radio network providing programmes covering different aspects and levels of education including primary and secondary education, adult education, technical and vocational education, higher education and extension education. It also has an educationally dedicated TV channel called ‘Gyan Darshan’ which broadcasts lectures by the eminent faculty members of the University thus, reaching the unreached.

Yashwantrao C. Maharashtra Open University stands second followed by U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open University at third, Annamalai University at fourth and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University at fifth place. The Delhi University is ranked at the sixth position in its resources and reach.

About the research and methodology procedure followed by the magazine and the website, the magazine says that, “The Universe for Open and Distance Learning Institutes (ODLIs) in India comprises 249 institutes, out of which 188 institutes are currently offering Distance Education Programmes. Given the nature of operations of ODLIs and the lack of adequate data with the Distance Education Council (DEC) as also in the public domain, short listing of top fifty institutions was done even this year on the basis of student enrolment data. The logic is the popularity of the institutions on the basis of their admissions.”

“Careers360 then sent letters to these fifty institutions and based on the responses received from the institute as well as the data supplied by DEC, thirty-two institutes were finally chosen for ranking purpose.

Further, visits were made to all the institutes that responded as well as to select study centres of others to build a robust database.”

“The input primarily looked at the reach, infrastructure and diversity of the institutions in providing distance education. The process emphasised on the quality of resources and delivery mechanism, while output focused on the performance of the institute in facilitating the trained student in getting a better prospect.”